Closure fastener



July 14, 1931.

CLOSURE FASTENER Filed July 31, 1929 M/L TON E dM/TH lnvenlor 4 llqmey M. F. SMITH 1 14,343

Patented July 14, 1931 UNITE sTAT MILTON F. SMITH, F YAKIMA, WASHINGTON CLOSURE FASTENER Application filed July 31, 1929. Serial 'N0. 382,341.

My present invention relates to an improved closure fastener particularly designed for fastening or locking the closure plugs in the head of a gasoline drum or tank. The

'5 closure fastener is designed especially to lock the vent plug and the closure plug in the vent opening and pouring or filling opening respectively of a gasoline supply tank or drum. Upon farms, at industrial plants, and at other places where gasoline is used as fuel, it is customary to distribute or locate the gasoline supply drums at various points where the supply may be available when needed. At isolated locations on farms, for instance, along the highway, depredations, thefts and pilfering of the gasoline from the drums or tanks, are frequent with consequent loss and annoyance to the owner of the gasoline contained in the drums or tanks.

The primary object of my invention is the provision of a closure fastener that is simple in construction, composed of a minimum number of parts, comparatively inexpensive in cost of manufacture, easily operated, and

effective in preventing unauthorized opening of the plugs of the drum or tank.

The invention consists in certain novel combinations and arrangements of parts involving the vent plug and the closure plug of a gasoline drum, as will hereinafter be more fully pointed out and claimed. In the accompanying drawings I have illustrated one complete example (and a slight modiflcation) of the physical embodiment of my invention, wherein the parts are combined and arran ed according to one mode I have so far devised for the practical application of my invention. A

Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view at one end of a gasoline drum showing the application and use of my invention. Figure 2 is an end view of a drum equipped with the closure fastener, and in locked position. Figure 3 is an enlarged detail perspective View, partly broken away for convenience of illustration, showing the vent plug and the closure plug and the closure fastener.

v Figure 4 is a sectional view of the vent plug 60- in the drum head. Figure 5 is a sectional view of a modified form of closure plug in the drum head. a v

In the preferred form of my inventionI utilize a metal drum or tank 1 equipped with a head 2 in which are provided the flanged; opening 3 for the closure plug and the flanged opening 4 for the vent plug, both these flanges being circular and provided with screw threads;

The vent plug 5, which is removed or unseated when pouring gasoline into the opening 3, or when pouring gasoline from the opening 3, is normallythreaded into the vent opening 1, and this vent plug has a flat bar or metal strap 6 hinged thereto. The strap is bifurcated at one end to form perforated ears 7, and a hinge pin8 is passed through these'ears and also through a square,,per-

forated, boss 9 fashioned integral with and on the top of the vent plug. The pivoted or hinged strap may thus be used as a handle to assist in screwing-the vent plug into or out of its flanged opening 4:.

- At its free end the metal strap is provided with a longitudinally extending slot 10 by means of which the strap is secured to the closure plug 11 that is threaded to screw into or out of the closure opening of flange 3.

The closure plug 11 is fashioned with an integral lug 12 that is transversely perforated at 13, and this lug is flattened and of a size to permit the slotted end of the strap 6 to slip over the lug, after which a padlock as 14L is used to lock the strap on the perforatedlug.

The vent plug, with its hinged strap, is readily removable from the drum head, and the strap may be used as a handle for turning the closure plug, after the slotted end of the strap or handle has been slipped over the lug 12. Thus, assuming that both plugs have been removed to permit filling of the drum, the closure plug is then entered into the flanged opening 3, the slotted end of the strap is slipped over the lug 12, and the handle or strap is used as a wrench for screwing home the closure plug. Then the slotted strap is removed from the closure plug, and the vent plug is entered in its opening 4. The strap is then used as a wrench for turning or screwing home the vent plug. The strap is turned to position so that its slotted end will slip over the lug 12, and the padlock is used to lock the closure fastener. 5 In Figure 5, a modified type of closure plug a 15 is shown with a hex-head or flange 16, and the lug 17 having the perforation 18 is welded or cast in by means of its flange 19 within an undercut recess 20 in the head of the plug.

' This modified type of closure plug is used under some conditions, and it performs its functions in the same manner as the plug 11. Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. The combination with a vent plug having a rigid strap hinged thereto and a slotted free end for the strap, of a closure plug having a perforated lug adapted to receive the slotted end of the'strap, and a lock for 00- action with the perforated lug and slotted strap.

2. The combination with a drum having a head and a flanged closure-opening and flanged vent-opening in the head, of screw plugs for said openings, a rigid strap hinged to the vent plug and provided with a slotted free end, a perforated lug on the closure cap to receive said slotted end, and a lock for co-action with the perforated lug and slotted strap. v

3. The combination with a drum, and a head for the drum having spaced flanged openings, of a vent plug and a closure plug in said openings,'a square perforated boss on the vent plug and a'bifurcated, perforated,

rigid, handle-strap hinged'on the boss, said .strap having a slotted free end, a perforated lug on the closure plug to receive said slotted end, and a lockfor co-action with said perforated lug and slotted strap.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

MILTON F. SMITH. 

